Newest Project - The Quote Book

Here is the start of my new project - I bought a small spiral notebook, & I found a bunch of quotes that I like on the internet. I'm going to draw a picture for each quote, & it's going to be my book-o-inspiration, for when I need a lift (it'll also let me get practice drawing things I wouldn't normally draw, & try different techniques & styles)




This one was a disappointment - I tried to do the text with my white pen, but it just kept blending into the background. Then I tried to go over the white with black, but the blue is too dark to let it show through clearly. It reads
"In the hopes of reaching the moon men fail to see the flowers that blossom at their feet - Albert Schweitzer"

Magnets & 3 new pieces for the Sketchbook

With all the magnets I've been making lately, I've been neglecting my sketchbook. Although I only need to fill 1 more page, if I want to do both sides of each page (which I do), I need to do at least 15 more pieces *eep*

At any rate - here's some new art I just scanned in tonight.

3 more

I'm trying to scan these in more often so I don't have a HUGE post to deal with. We'll see how it goes


I used to have a cute little plastic charm on my purse that had a gray kitten in a teacup. The teacup fell off a while ago, but I still have the kitten :D


Heh, pokemon geekiness is showing through :D Lapras has always been one of my favourite pokemon, & the shiny is purple! Hooray! :D


I'm making bookmarks for next year, when I can go to the farmers market & try selling them :)

& now for some Sketchbook Project pieces


I have material with kitties like these on it, & I always thought they were adorable. I added the rainbow, as I love gradients


I've always liked the styles that flappers wore


I've started to make bookmarks, & since I still need to finish 22-ish pages in my sketchbook, I decided to use one of them as a full picture by adding stuff in the background :D

More art

I've hit a bit of a lull, but I figured I should at least post some of the stuff I've finished since the last time I posted.

Art Is My Bag, Baby ;D

Since I plan on participating in The Sketchbook Project again in the future, I figured I could make a cute little bag to carry my art supplies around in, without it being unused after I finished my sketchbook (I've wanted something like this for a while)

I stole the material off Sal's mom, so it was free. Along with the needle & thread.

I bought a bag of random sewing-type things at a thrift store for 50 cents, which produced the ribbon & the snap on the front (although the only reason I bought that bag was for some snaps, so technically even those 2 things were free)

This took me about 6 hours from start to finish, & a lot of it was just me BSing my way through *LOL*



The front, with the cute little snap. I want to get something to cover up my 'awesome' sewing job that's keeping it in place



& the inside - in order, there's a pen to write down ideas, a notebook for ideas, my sketchbook, a ruler, my transferring pencil, a mechanical pencil with regular lead, a mechanical pencil with coloured (purple) lead inside, an inking pen, an eraser pen, & an eraser

Sketchbook Project

I have some new pieces for my sketchbook. I'm working at a pretty steady pace, but I'm still worried I won't have enough done by the deadline (even though I still have over 4 months left...)


Have you ever stopped & watched a spider build a web? Or even just looked at a spider web? Those things are AWESOME!


I love snuggling up with Sal when it's bedtime. This is actually on a vibrant pink cardstock, but my scanner hates bright colours (it also isn't blurry on the side, but I blame the actual sketchbook for that)


I wanted to fill a page with cute... & then I was thinking of fruit... & a punk pineapple (the leaves look like a mohawk)
Eventually, I will fill an entire page with random cuteness, but until then, have some random fruit-ness XD

By Popular Demand

How to rebind the Arthouse Co-Op sketchbook


Okay, so I didn't have a clue what I was doing, I will just point this out up front. I took it & ran with it, keeping my fingers crossed that I didn't destroy it beyond repair :D


I cut out the threads holding the pages in place, & took them out of the papers.

I set most of the papers aside, keeping one as a template for the original holes

I took a bunch of cardstock (15 pieces), folded them in half, then laid them flat again. Using the piece of paper I set aside, I put it on top of each individual piece of cardstock & marked dots where the sketchbook was originally bound down the middle.

I used a needle to poke holes in each piece of cardstock, where the marks were, then lined them up as best I could, put the cover on top, & sewed it all together with some thread. I doubled up on the thread through the needle (just like as if I was sewing cloth or something), & went through each hole twice (mostly... I ran out of thread & patience about 4 holes from the bottom, so I figured it was good enough)

A lot of the holes didn't line up & had to be re-made as I went along, & it was a LOT of hard work... I broke a lot of needles trying to push them through... I ended up with my boyfriend helping out with a lot of it because my fingers were so sore from pushing needles through (they hurt for a few days after as well)

All in all, it took me about 10 hours divided between 2 days to finish, & it was a pain in the ass. But I know if I sign up for this project again (which is VERY likely), I'll probably do it all over again

If anyone has any tips that would make it easier, I know I'd love to hear them (& I'm sure I'm not the only one!!!)



Also... Ubuntu & I have made piece & are staying together for the children mutual dislike of Windows XD

2 more for the sketchbook

I finished 2 more pieces - 1 last night & 1 today. It's amazing how much I can get done when my computer isn't working (maybe I SHOULD keep Ubuntu on here... it's letting me be productive because it's such an unco-operative piece of crap)






Heh, to tell the truth, the main reason I drew the picture of me drawing was because I wanted a new icon for Livejournal (as well as the other places I hang out) XD

Finally, an update!

It's not that I haven't been finishing any art, it's just that I've been really busy; too busy to upload in fact! So now you get it all at once!
This is my sketchbook for the Sketchbook Project. It's nowhere near done, but I'm happy with the progress I'm making
the theme is 'Happy Thoughts'

The Front Cover


& the back


Me & Sal watching the clouds roll by

Mmm, tasty tasty bento! I love food that looks pretty :D

I love sunsets - I used memories of walking in the woods behind my grandmothers house when I was young for this picture

I've always liked turtles - I don't know why, I just find them cute :D

I love tiger lilies! I think they're my favourite flower. & I love drawing on coloured cardstock, as it looks like oil pastels

Mmmm, sushi. I'm sensing a Japanese theme in this book :)

I drew this when I realized that it didn't all have to be serious. I'm actually having more fun with it now, now that I'm drawing absurd things too :D Absurdity makes me happy XD

One of the few dual-page pieces I'll be doing. I'm going to try to draw on both sides of the pages, but a) I use pencil crayons which means if I want to draw on both sides, I'll have to get a spray fixitive so it doesn't rub off on the other picture, & b) sometimes I use sharpies for large sections of black, which can be seen on the back of the page. I'm thinking maybe little doodles or something on the back of the pages & full finished pieces on the front of the page.

Who doesn't like cooking (especially marshmallows) over a campfire?

Again with the Japanese culture :D

Although this may not look like it belongs in a 'Happy Thoughts' themed book, this thing has brought me so much happiness. I picked it up at a second hand store, & when I got it, it didn't have the second eye coloured in. What you're supposed to do is make a wish on it, & when the wish comes true, you colour in the second eye. If it doesn't come true by the end of the year, you burn it & vow to work at obtaining your wish in a different way.
My wish had been that I would finally be happy. Sal came into my life, & I got to colour in the other eye almost a year ago. :D Darumas (& Japanese culture) have always intrigued me

The Things I Dream About

Done for an art project, 'The things I dream about'
I'm a simple creature, what can I say? :D